Archive | February, 2017

New Delhi, Feb 28 (PTI) DU student Gurmehar Kaur today withdrew from her social media campaign against the ABVP after allegedly receiving threats from the members of the RSS-backed outfit and being trolled by the ruling BJP leaders.

Kaur, daughter of martyr Captain Mandeep Singh, received support from her college – the Lady Shri Ram college which termed her act as sensible and brave.

“I’m withdrawing from the campaign. Congratulations everyone. I request to be left alone. I said what I had to say… One thing is for sure, next time we will think twice before resorting to violence or threats and that’s all this was about,” she tweeted.

Kaur said she has been through a lot, and “this is all my 20 year self could take”.

After withdrawing from the campaign, the DU student will not participate in any activity against ABVP members. Today, she will also not participate in a march being held by a group of students at the Delhi University.

In a series of tweets, she said, “The campaign is about students and not about me. Please go to the march in huge numbers. Best of luck… To anyone questioning my courage and bravery.. I’ve shown more than enough.”

The Lady Sri Ram college backed Kaur saying that she has the right to express her opinion.

“We support our student as duty of institutions is to nurture students without fear. Gurmehar has right to express her opinion and she responded sensitively, bravely. She has fulfilled her duty as a young citizen,” the college said in a statement.

The 20-year-old girl had started the campaign ‘I am not afraid of ABVP’, following the violence at Ramjas college. The campaign went viral and received a massive support from students of various universities.

She had yesterday met Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal and said that she has been receiving “rape threats” on social media, allegedly by ABVP members.

Maliwal, who termed the threats as “shameful”, has also written to Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik demanding that an FIR be registered against the “abusers” and security be provided to the woman and her family. Currently, DCW Home Guards are providing protection to Kaur.

New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) Accusing Congress and the Left of trying to give a “different colour” to happenings on some campuses, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said freedom of expression does not mean liberty to advocate disintegration of the country.

“I am surprised about the efforts made by the Congress and the Left to give a different colour to the issues that are happening in a few universities saying it is an assault on freedom of expression,” Naidu told reporters here.

He claimed certain “misguided” sections were trying to mislead the young population and create social tensions, and hurt the sentiments of the people of India.

“Where is the question of not having the freedom of expression? It is guaranteed under the Constitution,” Naidu said. He said there were also certain reasonable restrictions on freedom of expression in place.

“You cannot hurt others’ religious feeling, you cannot question the nation’s unity and integrity. You cannot advocate separatism. Dissent, having a different opinion apart from the majority opinion is agreeable but not disintegration. Nobody can advocate disintegration. What is azaadi? What is azaadi of Kashmir?” Naidu said.

His comments came in the backdrop of a political slugfest following last week’s clashes between activists of RSS- affiliated ABVP and Left-backed AISA over a seminar invite to JNU student Umar Khalid, an accused in a sedition case.

The ABVP, Naidu said is a “nationalistic organisation”, adding those who have different views can also express their them but asked “why should outsiders go and disturb the peace of campuses.”

“How can anybody advocate azaadi for Jammu and Kashmir?” the senior minister asked noting the Parliament had passed a resolution that the whole of J&K, including PoK, was part of India.

“You want to make universities laboratories for separatist experiments? There is a systematic effort going on – you want to have anniversary for Afzal Guru, who was responsible (for) and spearheaded the attack on Parliament, the temple of democracy. And then you appeal to others that freedom of expression is affected,” he said.

Attacking the Congress, Naidu said the people who had imposed Emergency, put restrictions on fundamental rights, people who put entire opposition behind bars and imposed censorship on the media are now giving sermons on freedom of expression.

“The Congress imposed Emergency while the Left supported the black deeds of Emergency,” he said.

Ansari, an MLA who recently joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to contest from Mau Assembly seat in UP, was given custody parole till March 4, enabling him to campaign in the election.

The high court, however, on February 17 had stayed its operation after the poll panel moved a plea seeking cancellation of his parole on the ground that he may influence witnesses in the 2005 murder case of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai, in which he is facing trial.

Later the State of Uttar Pradesh, the prosecuting agency and the complainant in the BJP MLA’s case also moved the high court opposing Ansari’s release from jail in Lucknow.

However, their contention was opposed by Ansari’s counsel, who had said that Election Commission of India’s claims are baseless and it is not the ground to restrict his movement in his constituency from where he is contesting, as none of the witnesses are from there.

Senior advocates Salman Khurshid and Sudhir Nandrajog, appearing for the leader had said that only in an extraordinary situation, the EC can come to court.

“Participation of candidates in free and fair election is also a basic structure of the Constitution,” the counsel had submitted.

They had contended that Ansari has been elected from Mau constituency for a record four times and he is willing to give an undertaking to the court that he will not violate its order.

This was strongly opposed by the poll panel, which was represented by senior advocate Dayan Krishnan, who had said that the release of the accused would have a direct impact on conduct of free and fair election in Mau constituency.

The EC had further submitted that the judgement of this court is going to have far reaching consequences on the poll panel’s power.

“We have material to oppose the parole,” Krishnan had argued.

The trial court had on February 16 granted him custody parole.

The accused, while seeking the relief, had told the trial court that he has been in judicial custody since December 2005 and was granted parole to contest polls earlier too.

Ansari has over 40 criminal cases against him, including that of murder and kidnapping.

New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) Congress leader P Chidambaram slammed Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for his remarks amid the DU row and asked whether he was leading an “alliance of subversion” when he was the DUSU president in 1975.

Jaitley had said on Saturday that there was an “alliance of subversion” on certain Indian campuses and that the ultra-Left and separatists were speaking the same language.

“When Mr Jaitley was President of DUSU in 1975, was he heading an ‘Alliance of Subversion’?” the former finance minister said in a tweet.

They must also allow others with different opinions to speak, he said while delivering a talk at London School of Economics.

The minister said it was his personal belief that “free speech” in society needs to be debated, adding that “violence is however not the method”.

His comments came amidst the ongoing row over the clashes between Left-affiliated AISA and the RSS-backed ABVP in Delhi University’s North Campus.

Tension prevailed in the North Campus in the wake of Wednesday’s incident even as members of students’ groups protested at many places, including at the Delhi Police headquarters, seeking action against the ABVP members.

Jaitley was the president of Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) in 1974-75.

“Why Modi is waiting for the UP poll outcome to waive farmers’ loans. He is the PM and he can do it any time.

Farmers of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and other states are also waiting for this (waiver),” he said.

Addressing a press conference hours before the fifth phase polling, he said Modi should tell people the works he has done during his nearly three-year tenure as the Prime Minister.

“How much has farmers’ income increased after Modi’s promise to double it?” he asked.

Akhilesh also refuted the Prime Minister’s charge that no work has been carried out by the Samajwadi Party government in the state and rubbished charges of discrimination in implementation of various schemes.

He also hit back at Modi, asking, “What discrimination has my government done in implementing welfare measures for the masses?”

Asking the people of the state to analyse which party did what for them before making any decision on whom to vote for, Akhilesh said, “My government has a lot of achievements and a number of schemes to its credit and people trust SP, which did not discriminate while implementing schemes.”

“We want to tell to the PM and BJP leaders that a number of rallies have been been addressed by them. The people of UP want to know when will you do ‘kaam ki baat’ (talk about your achievements). I tell about my work to people and expect same from the PM,” he said.

“Wherever the PM goes he should inform people about the works the Centre has done. The people of state should know what the Centre has done for them. Demonetisation was aimed at curbing corruption, terrorism and black money but in the state where elections are not going on, people are facing a lot of hardships even now,” he said.

Akhilesh once again challenged Modi for a debate on development and said, “His charge of discrimination did not have any ground. We provided electricity on all festivals.

Varanasi (represented by Modi in Parliament) is also getting 24-hour power supply.”

He said the government at the Centre stood “thoroughly exposed” on its work and they (BJP leaders) are now deliberately raking up “irrelevant issues and questions during polls”.

Asked about SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav’s “disinterest” in campaigning for party candidates, Akhilesh said he would reply to this question after March 11 when the poll results are out.

On the use of ‘donkey’ and other such words during campaign, he said, “This is not the language of Lucknow. We are just replying to issues raised by those who come from Delhi.”

He expressed confidence that SP-Congress alliance will notch up over 300 of the 403 Assembly seats.

Lucknow, Feb 26 (PTI) Central forces today conducted flag march in sensitive areas close to the Terai region in Nepal’s foothills which go to polls tomorrow along with parts of eastern UP, with all eyes on the Nehru-Gandhi pocket borough Amethi.

51 Assembly constituencies spread across 11 districts, five of which border Nepal, will go to polls in the fifth phase.

Prominent contestants in this phase include controversial minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati (SP), who will be facing Amita Singh (Congress) and Garima Singh (BJP) in Amethi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Rahul Gandhi.

Amita is the wife of Congress leader Sanjay Singh, while Garima is his estranged spouse, making it a “rani versus rani” contest.

Imphal, Feb 25 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today promised to end the crippling economic blockade in Manipur if the BJP comes to power in the state and said what the Congress could not do in 15 years, the BJP will do in 15 months.

He also launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, accusing him of “running the most corrupt government” and “taking 10 per cent commission”.

Addressing an election meeting in poll-bound Manipur, the Prime Minister said, “Manipur’s development was stalled under the Congress government”.

“What the Congress government could not do in 15 years our (BJP) government will do it in 15 months,” he said, lashing out at the Congress government for “failing” to provide jobs, infrastructure, and proper drinking water to the people.

Modi also accused the Ibobi government of spreading “false campaign and misleading the people” on the Naga Accord.

“I assure you that there is no single reference to ditching the Manipur people or its interests in the Naga Accord”, he said.

Ridiculing the Congress government, Modi said, “Naga accord was done one-and-half years back. What were you doing ? Were you in a deep sleep? And all of a sudden you have woken up before elections. You are making false claims to mislead the people,” Modi said.

On the indefinite economic blockade launched by United Naga Council (UNC) in November last year, the prime minister said, “It is the responsibility of the state government to make available essential commodities. But the people here are not getting medicines and other commodities.

“There is a blockade on the national highways for so many months, but no action has been taken. Congress is hand-in-glove with those who have resorted to the blockade. I told the state government that the Centre is ready to extend whatever help it required.

“BJP will form the next government in Manipur and no blockade will be allowed then. We will show how a government is run,” he said.

The Congress wants to reap benefits by letting Manipur “burn” and by “pitting one tribe against another for the sake of the chair,” he said.

“What kind of cheap politics is this where you make brothers fight against each other”.

Attacking the chief minister, he charged “I heard that the state chief minister who has been ruling for the last 15 years is known as 10 per cent chief minister. It is for the people of the state to decide whether they want a 100 per cent honest chief minister or one who takes 10 per cent commission.” .

New Delhi, Feb 25 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today criticised the Delhi Police over its handling of clashes at DU’s Ramjas college and alleged that the force has become an “agent” of the BJP.

He also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to not act as a “BJP worker” and hold police accountable for the February 22 violence.

“I strongly condemn the manner in which the Delhi Police has become an agent of the ABVP and the BJP. It is the duty of police to protect the people of Delhi and not allow the ABVP and the BJP to engage in goondaism (sic),” he told reporters.

“I hope the Prime Minister will perform his duty in an impartial way and not work like a BJP worker. The Delhi Police reports to the PM. He is not the prime minister of the BJP only but of all people, including me, and he should perform his duty,” the AAP chief said.

Ramjas College had on Wednesday witnessed clashes between members of the Left-affiliated AISA and the RSS-backed ABVP.

The genesis of the clash was an invite to JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid to address a seminar on ‘Culture of Protests’ which was withdrawn by the college authorities following opposition by the ABVP.

The Delhi Police has acknowledged “unprofessional” conduct on the part of some of its personnel during the clash and suspended three policemen.

New Delhi, Feb 23 (PTI) The BSF today told the Delhi High Court that the allegation of one of its jawans on social media that poor quality food was being served to its troopers posted along the LoC was “false” as no complaint was ever made in this regard.

“Concerned jawan (Tej Bahadur Yadav) or any other jawan of the said battalion never approached the grievance redressal system for the redressal of their grievance regarding poor quality of food,” an affidavit filed by the Deputy Inspector General (Personnel), Border Security Force (BSF), has said.

It said that soon after the video went viral on social media, senior officials visited the concerned battalion, but no complaint regarding poor food was brought to their notice.

Brushing aside allegations levelled by Yadav in his video, the BSF in its affidavit, filed through advocate Gaurang Kanth, said a “very transparent system” was in place to ensure quality diet for the troopers since their health and safety was a “prime responsibility”.

It also said “a detailed Staff Court of Inquiry (SCOI) has also been ordered to enquire into the allegations made by the jawan through video and same has been concluded and further action will be taken in accordance with the law”.

The BSF response came in the backdrop of a public interest litigation seeking direction to MHA to submit a status report with respect quality of food supplied to all paramilitary forces in India.

The petition was filed by Puran Chand Arya, a former central government employee, in the wake of the video posted on Facebook by Yadav alleging corruption among officers and poor working conditions.

The BSF, however, has brushed aside the petitioner’s claim of corruption saying there are committees to deal with purchase of food items and even inspect it after it is cooked.

“These committees are changed on a monthly basis to avoid any malpractice in purchasing procedure,” the reply stated.

The Samajwadi Party leader also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attacking him, saying he holds “such a high position but fights with me” and “indulges in such a petty talk which does not suit him”.

Referring to the acronym ‘KASAB’ coined by Shah for Congress, SP and BSP yesterday, Akhilesh said,

“BJP people have lost the battle on the ground and so their language has changed.”

Taking a dig at the BJP chief, he said, “We used to study that it was ‘KA se kabutar’ but these people are teaching something else. This time round, people are going to set your ‘kabutar’ (pigeons) free.”

Addressing another rally at Pechpedva, Akhilesh said, “They (BJP leaders) seem to be indulging in petty talk in view of their bad showing in the elections.”

He wondered on what course BJP wants to take the polls and said the SP only wanted to take it on the path of development.

Shah had yesterday used the acronym ‘KASAB’, saying ‘Ka’ (in Hindi) stands for Congress, ‘Sa’ for Samajwadi Party and ‘Ba’ for BSP. He had said that till KASAB is laid to rest, UP will not have development.

Kasab was the Pakistani terrorist who was arrested during the 26/11 Mumbai attack and hanged in 2012.

Attacking Modi, Akhilesh said, “The Prime Minister is sitting on such a high post and indulging in such a petty talk which does not suit him.”

Taking a dig at Modi, he said, “it seems he does not like staying in Delhi and is moving about all over UP…if he so desires, he can swap places with me.”

He added, “Piqued are only those who are faced with defeat…only those who are left behind talk about the past.”

On Modi’s remark that he is an “adopted son” of UP, the Chief Minister said, “PMji do not confuse our Uttar Pradesh… if you are the adopted son of UP, then we belong to this place…who is going to adopt us”.

He said if the Prime Minister wants a debate, he should not talk about other issues. “I say this openly that if he (PM) wants a debate with me on development issues I am ready for it…we ask what you have done for UP and we will also tell what all we have done,” he said.

On the foreign trips of Prime Minister, he said, “The PM has toured so many countries, has he brought anything for the country he should tell?”

“We in UP have tried to emulate the policing system in the US and developed UP-100…now policemen cannot misbehave with the public,” he said.

On the prime minister’s allegations that police stations are run by SP people, Akhilesh said he does not know that it is also run through UP-100.

“We admit that there had been some shortcomings, but it will improve with UP-100 and the anomalies in the police working will be addressed,” he said.

Attacking the BJP, he said when SP had decided to distribute laptops they called it “jhunjhuna” (toy) but later went on to include it in their manifesto.

“Why they allege that we discriminated in its distribution…you people can go out and ask whether meritorious students have not got it,” he added.